It is know that flavor is conferred by two different sensory organs: the tongue and the nose. In order to experience the flavor of a food or beverage two processes must occur: olfaction and gustation. Gustation provides for a limited amount of information: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. The rest of flavor is actually conferred by olfaction. Therefor olfaction plays an enormous role in one's ability to taste. Of course this is well known to anyone who has experienced nasal congestion from a cold. It becomes extremely difficult to taste one's food. The process of olfaction of food requires processes taking place on the back of the tongue, the nasopharynx and the olfactory bulb. As food or a beverage is chewed and heated inside the mouth, various aromatic compounds enter the vapor phase these rise up through the nasopharynx and stimulate receptors of the olfactory nerve. This provides an important component of flavor. It is well established that diminished olfaction can lead to decreased appetite and food intake.
The use of one or more scents to influence an individual's appetite is also established. For example, the use of a sequence of scents to suppress appetite is known; see for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,803,987; and 5,023,020.
The sequential administration of inhalants is known, see for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,196,902; 7,622,073; 7,484,716; 7,469,844; and 7,389,943.
Scents uniquely designed for an individual person are known, see for example, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0131858; 2007/0167348, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,820,208; and 6,663,571.